Humility, Gratitude, and Kindness

Recently, our daughter Jenna traveled on a Foundation 4Life^® trip to the Philippines to attend the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Dona Justa Guido Memorial School. She was deeply affected by her experiences. Below are Jenna's thoughts and feelings, in her own words.

Humility, gratitude, and kindness are just words. They can bring peace, joy, and even emotions that may be difficult to explain or understand. They are often forgotten. I have forgotten these words many times... when life seems empty or dark or when I am engulfed in myself. Sometimes, tender experiences help us remember that without humility, gratitude, and kindness, we are empty.

My tender mercy was given to me by the children of Angono, a small community on the outskirts of Manila, Philippines. I was welcomed with open arms, flowers, music, dancing, and the biggest smiles ever. The school was decorated with crepe paper, drawings, and items made by the students. School uniforms had been pressed and washed for the special occasion. Their shoes were worn and scratched, many with holes in the soles or soles missing entirely.

Teachers, moms and dads, and students called me "Miss Jeen." "Miss Jeen, look at this!" "Miss Jeen, come see my desk!" Little hands reached out to me, touching my skin and hair, and looking at my dangling, sparkly earrings. Holding out their school notebooks, they asked me to write my name, always followed by a burst of giggles. They took photos on my phone and then showed them to their friends. One girl saw our picture and said, "Look, Miss Jeen, we are beautiful." "Yes," I replied, "very beautiful."

In a place with few worldly things like iPhones, computers, video games, or cars, there was an abundance of humility, gratitude, and kindness. I almost felt ashamed, thinking of all of my possessions. The shoes I wore cost more than these families make in a year. The hot water I bathe in is more clean water than they see in months.

Why is it that those who have the least are the ones ready to give all they have? Why is it that those with empty houses, little food, holes in their shoes, or no shoes at all are the ones who smile the biggest and laugh the loudest? It's because they are kind to each other, take care of each other, and express thanks for what they have, no matter how humble their circumstances.

"Thank you, Miss Jeen. Thank you for bringing us food and giving us new paper. Thank you for helping us, Miss Jeen."

I will never forget those words—"thank you."

 Jenna poses with her new friends at the Dona Justa Guido Memorial School.

These students are excited to use their new backpacks!

Share Your Love of 4Life!

We love this time of year! It's such a great opportunity to gather with family members and friends and share our love with each other. It's also a wonderful time to give gifts to the people who mean the most to us. What better time than right now to share the science, success, and service of 4Life with people you love?

The 4Life product line offers something for everyone, so give the gift of science this year! Grab a handful of 4Life Transfer Factor^® RioVida Burst^® Tri-Factor^® Formula pouches and tie them up with a festive ribbon. With its delicious flavor,  RioVida Burst is a fantastic way to introduce someone to the powerful support that 4Life Transfer Factor^® provides.

The holiday season is a wonderful time to share with others the success you've achieved through 4Life. Because of your 4Life business, you have been able to create a new life for yourself. It's natural to want to share that gift with others!

And, during this time of year, there are many wonderful opportunities to reach out in service to those less fortunate than us. With the 4Life Fortify^® nutritional program, you can give the gift of a nourishing meal to a child in need. And, we also encourage you to get involved in service projects in your local community. Providing service is a great way to recognize the many blessings in our lives.

We hope you will share your love of 4Life this holiday season. Best wishes for a happy holidays!

Thank You for Your Generosity!

Last Wednesday, we appeared on the NBC TODAY show to make a donation to its annual holiday toy drive. Because of your generous hearts, Foundation 4Life^® has donated close to one million dollars in goods over the last six years to help support the education and nutrition of children in need. This year, we donated backpacks filled with school supplies, e-readers and software, and 5,500 bottles of 4Life Transfer Factor^® Kids for a donation of more than a quarter million dollars.

It was such an honor to represent our 4Life family members, whose kindness and love make all of this possible. Before we went on the air, we chatted with the show's hosts about how a truly happy life has to be one that includes service. We truly believe this is something each of us must discover for ourselves. You are doing phenomenal work in your local communities and we are grateful that you're part of our worldwide family. Thank you for being the kind of people who understand the importance of lifting and building people together, during the holiday season and all year long.

 David and Bianca pose outside the famous Radio City Music Hall in New York City.

David and Bianca wait in the TODAY show studio prior to their live interview.

Recipe for a More Powerful Business

While there really isn't a perfect recipe for achieving success with 4Life, as a business builder, you know that certain things can make a big difference in the growth and stability of your organization. At 4Life, we've brought together several proven business-building elements to create the Power of 4 strategy. When you implement home meetings, product socialization, Diamond4Life enrollment, and Power Pool participation into your business, we promise you that you will see a big difference.

Even better—through the end of January, you can participate in the Power of 4 promotion for a chance to win fabulous prizes, including two grand prize Great Escape+ trips for two. Every month, you can qualify for great prizes like a 4Life messenger bag or an Apple iPad.

We hope that you'll begin using the Power of 4 strategy in your business, and take advantage of this great promotion. Whether you're working to achieve the next rank level, looking for ways to motivate your leaders, or hoping to create a more cohesive group, we're confident that utilizing Power of 4 principles will be a great addition to your recipe for a more powerful business.

Visit www.4life.com/powerof4 today to read more about the strategy and the details of the promotion.

Let's Count Our Blessings

This is a great time of year to count our blessings, take stock of what we have accomplished during the last several months, and set goals to achieve those things we have yet to do. Whatever you do, we hope you won't be discouraged about what you have not accomplished in 2012. Just remember that you have more chances to keep trying!

Also, take heart in all of the good things you were able to achieve this year. Because of your dedication, more people than ever before have discovered the ultimate immune system support that 4Life Transfer Factor^® products provide. Because of your passion, thousands more are on the road to achieving freedom. And, because of your generous hearts, 4Life service initiatives have made a big difference in the nutrition, health, and education of children all over the world.

It's been said that gratitude is the mother of all virtues. Think about that. It's hard to be angry or upset when our hearts are full of thanks. We never let a day go by without recognizing how grateful we are for all of the blessings we have enjoyed because of 4Life.

Thank you for another phenomenal year of sharing the great science of our products, achieving success through the Life Rewards Plan^™, and reaching out in service to those less fortunate.

The Philippines School Expansion Is Complete!

To our delight, our daughter Jenna recently began working for Foundation 4Life^®. Last week, she traveled with Foundation 4Life Director Tracie Kay to Manila, Philippines to attend the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the recently completed expansion at the Dona Justa Guido Memorial School. Our hearts were touched as she texted pictures of precious children to us. Jenna was humbled by these amazing children and expressed that she didn't want to ever leave them. She also felt so much more aware of the bounteous blessings she enjoys.

The school has two new classrooms, which will be used by 120 first graders. During their stay, the 4Life group gave a backpack with school supplies to each of the first graders. And, 200 malnourished students were selected to participate in an on-going nutrition program sponsored by Foundation 4Life and Feed The Children.

Jenna and Tracie were joined at the event by many special guests, including Vice President of International Steve Apple and Feed The Children President Kevin Hagan. 4Life Philippines General Manager Eileen Tan also attended, along with several Philippines corporate employees. Many distributors came, including International Diamonds Evelyn Tactac and Frank Uy Tesy, and several Presidential Diamonds and Diamonds.

Together, we can truly change the lives of children throughout the world with Foundation 4Life projects. Thank you for the generosity of your hearts!

Jenna poses with some of the kids from Dona Justa Guido Memorial School.

 The new sign at Dona Justa Guido Memorial School

This little girl is excited to use her new backpack!

Attitude Determines Altitude

Business expert and motivational speaker Zig Ziglar once said, "Your attitude, not your aptitude, will determine your altitude." As a home-based business owner, you know that distractions and discouragement come with the territory. And while setbacks will definitely happen to everyone, your attitude will determine how you deal with them, and ultimately, the level of success that you're able to achieve. If you maintain a positive attitude as you work through obstacles, you can accomplish whatever you desire.

Many times over the years, we've heard 4Life distributors say, "Keep your 'why' close by." The "why" for your 4Life business should be the most important goal you're working to achieve. Perhaps you're building a 4Life business so that you can put your daughter through college. Or, maybe you hope to quit your full-time job and spend more time with your family. A great idea is to keep a photo of your "why" close by so it can lift your spirits and help you keep your attitude strong. Another important element is to surround yourself with people who build you up. It can be difficult to succeed when other people weigh you down with their negative thoughts.

We hope that you will take a few moments and think about your attitude, and where you might be able to improve. Attitude really does determine altitude!

                               

Your attitude determines your altitude. Keep a positive attitude and you can go higher!